Those who are elderly, physically handicapped, wheelchair bound, or otherwise impaired in their mobility frequently need assistance or special equipment when taking baths. Tub transfer benches are commonly used to enable the physically impaired to take a bath or a shower. The tub transfer benches typically include a two-part seat, a backrest, and legs that enable the bench to straddle the outer wall of a bathtub or tub-shower.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tub transfer bench 20 includes inner legs 22 and outer legs 24, with the inner legs 22 shorter than the outer legs 24 to enable the bench 20 to be level when the bench straddles the outer wall 26 of the bathtub 28. The tub transfer bench typically includes the two-part seat 29, including an inner portion 30 and an outer portion 32, to provide a gap 34 to accommodate the conventional shower curtain 36 of the tub-shower. The term “tub transfer bench” is derived from the two-part seat 29, which enables a person to transfer their weight from the outer seat 32 outside the tub-shower, to the inner seat 30 inside the tub-shower, without standing or raising their weight off of the two-part seat 29. The gap 34 is provided for accepting the lower portion of the shower curtain 36 in an attempt to prevent water from splashing out of the bathtub or tub-shower.
Although the two-part seat 29 of the tub transfer bench 20 includes a gap 34, the bench 20 also includes the framework 38 that connects the inner 30 and outer 32 parts of the seat. The gap 34 between the inner 30 and outer parts 32 of the seat is also constricted by the framework 38 that connects the seat portions. The gap 34 is therefore typically in the form of a slot 40 (see FIG. 2) bounded by the two portions of the seat 30 and 32 and by the framework 38 of the tub transfer bench 20. The framework 38 bounding the slot 40 typically includes two substantially horizontal posts 42 as shown in FIG. 2.
Unfortunately, when a conventional shower curtain 36 is placed upon the gap 34 of the tub transfer bench 20, as shown in FIG. 3, the shower curtain 36 bunches up upon the posts 42. This typically creates a hole 43 between the shower curtain 36 and the outer wall 26 of the bathtub 28. Attempts to reduce the size of the hole 43 by pulling the bunched up portion of the shower curtain 36 through the slot 40 are difficult as the slot 40 is small and the bunched up portion does not move easily through the slot 40. Additionally, it is difficult for a physically handicapped or elderly person to reach under the seat of the tub transfer bench 20 to pull the shower curtain 36 through the slot 40. Therefore, conventional shower curtains do not adequately prevent water from splashing outside of the shower or bathtub.